Launching The Accelerator’s first Demo Day event was an extra special experience because it was built from a support community for local founders!

About The Accelerator

The Accelerator launched in Fall of 2016 to provide curriculum, services, seed money, mentors and connections for technology startup founders. Demo Day was designed to provide an exciting environment for these founders to showcase everything they have learned in 5-months at The Accelerator and connect with investors that can help them continue to build momentum.

Private Investor Pitch Sessions at Dentons

The Private Investor Pitch Sessions were hosted at Dentons, one of The Accelerator’s key partners.

The entrepreneurs that participate in The Accelerator’s program are pre-seed and seed startups looking to connect with investors. At Dentons, each founder privately pitched their company to several investors and startup advisors who provided actionable feedback and support, while getting a first glance and some of Calgary’s up-and-coming technology companies.

The Accelerator Demo Day at Studio Bell

The startups from Batch #1 pitched to an audience of 200 people and they CRUSHED it! With “Eye of the Tiger” playing between each pitch, these founders were able to relax and shine during what, for many, was their first time pitching on-stage.

The pitches were excellent, energetic and to the point. 3 minutes was ample and the presenters looked professional. Giving the presenters such a high-end facility really capped a well run evening.

— Demo Day Attendee

The event brought together several local investors, mentors, fellow entrepreneurs and community supporters who were all very excited to watch these companies pitch and continue to support them on their entrepreneurial journeys.

Batch 1 of The Accelerator

We had a blast watching these startups tell their story in 3 short minutes and look forward to seeing them make their mark in Calgary’s startup community.

The Accelerator Demo Day Pitch Winner

If you have had a chance to speak with Irfaan Premji, Founder of Gifty, you won’t be surprised that this extremely gifted and well-spoken entrepreneur won the award for “Best Pitch” at Demo Day. The main piece of feedback that Irfaan received during the Private Investor Pitch Sessions is that he will need to be mindful that people may find his technology too easy to use!

Community Reach

As “all-in” event planners, we don’t just coordinate your event. We become a part of your team because we want your event to succeed as much as you do! That’s why we rolled up our sleeves to start building an online community for The Accelerator and Demo Day.

#DemoDayYYC was a hit on Twitter and Instagram! It was trending on March 14 and was still trending well into the morning of March 15.